Second-Half Surge Leads No. 4 Boston College Past Crimson

NEWTON, Mass. – Lauren Mann made a
season-high 12 saves and Katherine Sheeleigh tallied a goal in the
first half, but the Harvard women’s soccer team dropped a
road game, 4-1, at No. 4 Boston College Friday evening. The
Crimson, trailing 2-0 in the first half, cut BC’s lead to 2-1
in the 40th minute, but the Eagles struck twice again in the second
half to pull away for the win.

In the eighth minute, BC stole the ball near the left sideline of
the Harvard zone and Kristen Mewis took possession. Mewis played a
pass to Gina DiMartino, who dribbled ahead for 10 yards. DiMartino
then booted a shot with her right foot that beat Harvard goalkeeper
Lauren Mann from 25 yards out for a goal at 7:30. Less than two
minutes later, the Eagles struck again, this time off a kick by
Victoria DiMartino. Gina DiMartino and Hannah Cerrone were both
credited with assists on the tally.

Harvard (1-4-1) had a good chance with nine minutes remaining in
the half. Melanie Baskind controlled the ball 20 yards out on the
right side and slid a pass ahead to Alexandra Conigliaro. The
freshman forward kicked a hard shot on net, but BC goalkeeper
Jillian Mastroianni dove to her right to grab the ball and make the
save. At 39:54, Sheeleigh cut Harvard’s deficit in half, 2-1,
when she chipped the ball over Mastroianni and into the top of the
cage. Conigliaro moved the ball to Baskind, who found Sheeleigh
open in the box for her second goal of the season. Harvard’s
tally was the first goal Boston College had allowed this fall, a
stretch of more than 579 minutes.

Midway through the second half, BC (7-0) regained a two-goal lead
on a score by Mewis at 70:11. Amy Caldwell crossed the ball with
from 15 yards out with her right foot, setting up the one-timer by
Mewis. The Eagles capped the scoring with Victoria
DiMartino’s second tally of the contest, coming at 75:57. BC
led the shot count, 26-4, and held the advantage in corner kicks,
6-2.

The Crimson will face another local rival on the road Sunday, as
the team will play at Boston University. The game, scheduled for 5
p.m., will be shown live nationally on the Fox Soccer Channel.